Reason: The last time NOAA predicted a "near-normal hurricane season" was in 2005, when Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast as a major storm and was followed shortly thereafter by Hurricane Rita (also a Category-4 storm when it hit the Texas/Louisiana coastline).

Heart to Heart is ramping up preparation efforts for the coming hurricane season. Hopefully, we won't need to deploy any of these resources. Just in case, though, we're calling on you to help us be as ready as possible.

Here are four things you can do today to support our readiness activities:

Help us assemble Heart to Heart Care Kits. These hygiene kits are distributed to disaster survivors in the U.S. and overseas by the thousands. We are facing a critically low inventory of these kits and need your help immediately. Click here for the recipe and instructions on where to send them.

Join our volunteer bank. If you have special skills (or simply two willing hands) that can help us during an emergency response, we want to know about you. Sign up here.

Get your network involved. If we've learned anything at Heart to Heart over the years, it's that everyone has a network that can help alleviate human suffering. Talk to your frinds, family and colleagues about Heart to Heart and get involved in our global work. Click here to get the conversation started.

Donate to our Crisis Response Fund. Your financial contributions enable us to do more for people in crisis. We're highly efficient with every donation. When you support our efforts, you ensure that people in crisis get the medical attention they need. Donate here.

We appreciate anything you can do to help. Feel free to contact us about other ways to support our crisis-response initiatives.

Your support helps us create a healthier world -- one community at a time.